HL Deb 30 November 1988 vol 502 cc300-2

2.57 p.m.

Lord Hatch of Lusby asked Her Majesty's Government:

What percentages of the 1,100 tons of uranium imported into the United Kingdom from Namibia under the option agreement were classified as "N" (usable for military purposes) and "13" (intended for civil purposes) under the Euratom safeguard.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy (Baroness Hooper)

My Lords, the uranium ore concentrate delivered from Namibia under the option agreement was imported entirely for civil use. It was all placed under Euratom safeguards with code "N" attached. It has not been removed from safeguards since and there are no plans to do so.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

My Lords, while I appreciate the noble Baroness's reply, is it not the case that when uranium is imported under the Euratom protection, that uranium can be removed from code "P" and placed under code "N"? Is not the uranium which was imported—it has taken me nearly 12 months to extract that information from the Government—available for military uses if the Government so want, whatever their present intentions? Is it not the case that the Government can use that uranium for military purposes if they so desire?

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, the terms of the United Kingdom Euratom IAEA safeguards agreement permit us to withdraw code "N" material from the safeguards with advance notice; but I can once again assure the noble Lord that we have no plans to do so. I repeat that there is and has been no secrecy about the import of uranium from Namibian sources for Britain's civil nuclear programme between 1977 and 1984. That fact has been made public by Ministers on many occasions in both Houses of Parliament.

The Earl of Halsbury

My Lords, we have been into all this before ad nauseam. Can we stop flogging a dead horse and pass on to the next Question?

Lord Williams of Elvel

My Lords, will the noble Baroness tell us whether the uranium referred to in my noble friend's Question is processed at the Springfields laboratory by British Nuclear Fuels? That laboratory is also used by the military, and Euratom inspectors are not allowed access to it.

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, I believe that that is another question. I can give your Lordships the assurance that no uranium ore concentrate has been delivered to the United Kingdom for defence purposes since 1973 from any source, nor has any imported for the civil programme been switched.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

My Lords, far from it not having been a matter of secrecy, it has taken me six Questions to elicit from the Government that they imported the 1,100 tonnes of uranium from Namibia under the optional agreement, not under the original agreement. Will the noble Baroness tell the House quite clearly whether the 1,100 tons that has been imported and is under the protection of Euratom could in future, if the Government desire it, be used for military purposes? Is the noble Baroness aware that both Australia and Canada have such little faith in Euratom that, when they export uranium, they insist on bilateral agreements because they do not trust the safeguards which at present exist under Euratom?

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, I believe that that question has already been answered. I repeat that the 1,100 tons of uranium from Namibia were delivered for Britain's civil programme between 1977 and 1984. The Government have no plans for any change in the end use.

Noble Lords

Next Question!

Lord Rea

My Lords, can the noble Baroness please tell us where this hazardous material is and whether it comes under category "N" or "P"? Then we can keep well clear of it.

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, the material to which the Question on the Order Paper refers is, as I have said, classified with the "N" label. Obviously details of contracts are commercially confidential to the parties concerned. Much of this material is in use in the system in different places.

Lord Hatch of Lusby

My Lords, if it was imported for civil purposes only, why was it imported under code "N" rather than under code "P", which is for peaceful purposes alone?

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, perhaps I may make it clear once and for all to the noble Lord, Lord Hatch of Lusby, that it is not for the receiving country to change the restrictions under which the material is supplied. The Euratom authorities assign the appropriate coding according to the conditions imposed by the government of the supplying country at the time when the contract is signed. Where no conditions are imposed, the material is given an "N" code; so it is not up to us.